This unity helped in the ruling of a large population by a few monarch/leaders, and also to create a huge homogeneous work force. একতা থাকিলে এটা বিৰাত জনগনক নিয়ন্ত্ৰণ বা শোষন কৰিবলৈ সহজ, আৰু সামূহিক কৰ্ম দ্বাৰা যঠেষ্ট উৎপাদন কৰিব পৰা যায়। জনসংখ্যা বৃদ্ধিৰ লগতে উৎপাদনৰ বৃদ্ধি অতি দৰকাৰ হৈ পৰিছিল। A coordinated work force was essential for a rapidly growing population since agricultural subsistence living started in place of a life of hunting and gathering.

ঐক্যতা ৰক্ষা কৰিবলৈ সৃষ্টি কৰা ভিন্নতাই বহুতো বিয়াগোম যুদ্ধৰ বাট মুকলি কৰি দিলে। Huge groups of people however posed a dangerous threat to world peace. If a group of 20 people fought with another 20 people earlier, now each fighting group had thousands of soldiers. দ্বিতীয় মহাযুদ্ধৰ কাৰক এই ঐক্যতা আৰু তাৰ কাৰক, এই ভিন্নতা। আমাৰ হিন্দু বা অসমীয়া জাতীয়তাবাদী (মোৰও) সত্তাৰ কাৰকো এই কাল্পনিক ভিন্নতা বোৰ। World wars, the strife in Syria, our nationalism, love for a particular football playing nation, or even our Hindu / Muslim consciousness is based on this unity brought in by these imagined diversities.

For a created / imagined identity, we spread venom on social media, as if it is a real practical identity, giving rise to enhanced hatred. জাতি বা ধৰ্মক লৈ ফেচবুক - টুইটাৰ আদিত ঘৃণা বিলায় ফুৰাটো মূৰ্খামী নহয় নে?

It's biological for two people to fight. দুজনৰ মাজৰ কাজিয়া স্বাভাৱিক। দুটা জাতি বা দুখন দেশৰ মাজৰ কাজিয়া অস্বাভাৱিক আৰু সাংঘাতিক ক্ষতিকাৰক। It is ignorance that makes two nations fight. Probably it is a fight between two leaders where millions may die in ignorant nationalism.

Let's all respect diversity for it has made us the most powerful living being in this earth. ভিন্নতাই আমাক ঐক্য কৰি পৃথিৱীৰ শ্ৰেষ্ঠ জীৱৰ ঠাই দিলে। এই ভিন্নতাক সন্মান জনায় আমি পণ কৰা উচিত যে আমি আন এজন মানুহক বেয়া পাব পাৰো, কিন্তু আন এটা জাতি, ধৰ্ম বা দেশক বেয়া পাব নোৱাৰো। I may hate one particular individual but I must never hate an identity like a religion, caste or a country.

This is what I wrote in the comments section. I am not sure if they will publish the same. So I am sharing it on my platform.

This article disappointed me. Coming from the editor and he
being Shekhar Gupta disappointed me further. First is the use of the feature
image. It is typical to the core of shamelessness to bask in the fame of
sensationalism. Why should an upright journalist use an abused photographic identity to uphold a manufactured perception of a Chief Minister? A positive or a neutral feature image was expected out of
Shekhar Gupta.

A good wise Shekhar Gupta would have used this kind of imagery.

Secondly, the editor knows, and the sentiment is echoed by
the Wire team as well, that Indian judicial system is a big deterrent for
honest men willing to target big powers. The big powers use the judiciary to
scare the activists and the supposed trouble makers. So he could have, in his
analysis, mentioned about that aspect. That this could probably free Arvind Kejriwal to
concentrate on AAP.
Thirdly, the editor has dismissed all the positive
achievements of AAP in Delhi specially its focus on education and health. In
his dismissal of the party, he could have spared a line about their
achievements. It seemed to me that the editor is on his ego trip over some
squabbles he may have had with Arvind Kejriwal and now he is taking a personal
revenge for a good night sleep.
Fourthly, Shekhar Gupta with his experiences in the
corridors of power and politics would know that India has dynastic politics and
Godman politics. He knew Jayalalitha, MGR, Mamta Banerjee etc to name a few,
and it is mostly about one leader or one family that carries any party. It was
Prafulla Mahanta for AGP in 1985, and he too had a fair share of allegation of
autocratic behaviour. So pinpointing Arvind Kejriwal and comparing him to Modi
is an injustice to both Kejriwal and Modi. An autocrat in a party is not
necessarily bad for the nation or the state.
Also, the current politics in India is between BJP and the
Others. The Others as we speak is getting formed. Parties like AAP or AGP will
lose significance temporarily in that power tussle. Today, India is practically
bipolar and even a diehard AGP or an AAPtard will vote for Congress or the
ante-BJP party in his or her constituency.Fifthly, any political party with whatever ideology is
formed by the society. If the society has 50% dishonest citizens, then any
party formed in that society will have a percentage of dishonest citizens. For
an anti-corruption party like AAP, the percentage will be lesser, say, 30%
dishonest citizens. That is reality and it somehow misses the intellectual
faculty of Mr. Shekhar Gupta when he blames a whole anti corruption movement by
the youth of the country of utter failure.
Like a clever politician himself (read editor), he writes in
his penultimate line, "You can never say never in politics. We may still
see the return of AAP.." That is so childish after crafting a sub headline that goes "The foundation on which AAP was built has all but crumbled. And its
promise of changing the system and saving India is now a fading memory"Sad.

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Who Would Disagree

Demonetisation was indeed a bold move. It definitely shocked the corrupt. Hoarded money became useless in a day for the bureaucrats, Govt. servants, businessmen and the terrorists.I am not sure about the constitutional validity of the secrecy and the sudden-ness of the decision, however, I don't think anybody would disagree with the fact that it was required to be a surprise.Yet, I would stick out my neck and say that #Demonetisation is an example of thought myopia, pompous ignorance and a gigantic failure of the Govt. machinery. Such inefficiencies in the Govt machinery of 70 years is scary and unpardonable.

What are the problems with Demonetisation?

Cash Economy

India is primarily a cash economy where black money is not perceived to be a moral issue.

Giving a bribe is considered as an essential expense for personal and business favours. The marriage potential of a boy increases when he gets a Govt job with an opportunity to make 'outside money'.

Trading business thrives on black money because of inefficient / corrupt indirect tax departments and complex rules leading to ignorance and procrastination. It is impossible to purchase 100% of the products with gate permits and tax invoices for trading business. This creates hard-earned unaccounted cash with businessmen for future business and purchase. This un-accounted cash is very different from the black money generated from bribery and political corruption.

The unaccounted money in the businesses stays in the growth of the businesses and therefore powers the GDP of the economy, whereas the black money generated from bribery is hoarded in the shape of properties, gold, offshore deposits etc., and some part of it powers the consumption in the economy. Consumption is important but not as important as the building of the GDP of the nation.

Demonetisation has simply ignored the overwhelming cash economy and the various kinds of black money available in the country that is serving different purposes in the running of the economy of the country. It didn't understand the social and psychological meaning of corruption that has evolved in the Indian societies since Independence, before deciding on demonetisation.

Lack of Research

I wonder if the Government tried to understand the meaning of demonetising 85% of the currency in circulation.

When we understand the reality of the existence of the cash economy, it becomes clear that documented data with RBI and other Govt. departments would be insufficient for any conclusive understanding about the negative effect of demonetisation. So, it was absolutely necessary for the Government to have undertaken primary research at the 'mandis' and other business centres to assess the importance of cash, perhaps black transactions in the life of an ordinary citizen, and the quantum of societal impact of a sudden disappearance of cash. If that reality was taken into account, the Govt agencies would have found better ways to do demonetisation and remonetisation.

Lack of a Roadmap

BJP and its supporters are saying that demonetisation is part of a bigger roadmap and in the long run when everything else falls in place, the country will benefit. That may be true, but clearly demonetisation exercise per se didn't have a roadmap for itself.Any project, however small requires a roadmap to successfully implement itself. It has a starting point and an end point. Demonetisation didn't have a starting point. It was announced without any preparation in the name of maintaining secrecy. For instance, the Govt could have printed new notes for Rs. 50, Rs. 100 and Rs. 500 from the start of the year citing any nationalistic reason without revealing the secrecy behind demonetisation. The Govt could have waived off the installation charges for POS machines, reduced the inter-change income for VISA / MasterCard, installed payment gateways and POS machines for all Government departments. All these steps could have never revealed the actual intention of demonetisation by the end of the year.The way it was implemented reeks of a knee jerk decision following an emotional high of discovering a great strategy, thereby forgetting all restraints that a Govt process should have followed. It is clear that it was not decision by a regulatory system, but a decision from a group of people who are neither part of the bureaucracy, nor have the experience of the processes it follows.

No Consumer Understanding

Every society evolves in a certain way. India has evolved in a particular way too. Demonetisation simply ignored consumer behaviour and the need to understand the citizens of India. It didn't expect the creativity that can stem out of immoral minds of the corrupt value-less society of India. The power of money and the large population of Indians that had the weakness for it have wrecked havoc against the intentions of demonetisation to make black money invalid in one stroke.Large sums of black money were shown as working capital, large sums of black money were deposited using idle accounts of dead citizens, Jan Dhan accounts etc, large sums of black money were paid for services in advance and large sums of money were shown as income of the current financial year paying the normal tax slabs. Some have used Demand Drafts to exchange old currencies. There would be thousand other ways utilised to convert black money into white money. It is no surprise that over 13 lakhs of 15.4 lakhs have already come into the banking fold as I write this on 17th December 2016.Even the logic of introducing Rs. 2000 to quickly fill in the currency vacuum backfired, when immoral Indians found ways to siphon out new notes from the very banking system.

Lack of technical knowledge

The fact that the size and design of the new currency note didn't consider the capabilities of the largest dispenser of cash - the omnipresent ATMs, is unpardonable. The blunder that lead to wide scale public inconveniences and to unnecessary costs to the banks' P&L in recalibrating the ATMs could have been easily avoided.

Thought Myopia, Pompous Ignorance

The execution of demonetisation was even more myopic that its announcement. It gave out the pompous ignorance of the Government and its agencies. It has made it clear that this Government has made the governance system of over 70 years weaker and useless. The manner in which rules were being changed that were at best reactionary, reduced the credibility of even the autonomous RBI and its Governor.The honest and the poor Indians have now lost faith in the RBI, in the banking system and in the very currency. Still the pompous ignorants is living in a dream of hope that Mr. Modi can do no wrong.

Scary Governance

Indian Governance, its bureaucracy has evolved, and is evolving from 1947 when we became Independent. It was structured around rules and protocols so that democracy is preserved, equality, secularism and justice is preserved. The processes of parliament and many other committees of checks and balances were thought to ensure that correct decisions are taken by the Government and the bureaucracy.Demonetisation has brought to light a very scary scenario. A scenario where a single man, or at best, a group of men can overthrow the bureaucratic checks and balances to introduce to the public what they think is right for the public.A scenario where sycophancy and fear of political power has reached dizzying proportion to make the whole bureaucracy look like fools. It was never so even in the heights of corruption during the Congress regime.

Conclusion

There would be a few good outcomes of demonetisation. Bank deposits would increase, and RBI may get at least a lakh crore of additional tender for the Government to spend on welfare schemes (hopefully). However, it is clear that not a single rich guy with the probability of having black money died of heartache. It is clear that counterfeits machines have started in double the speed. It is clear that the source of black money is not impacted, or perhaps not as impacted as it was intended.It is clear that the poor had to ultimately bear the brunt of the ego of the powerful.The scariest discovery of demonetisation is this new possibility of working around the established systems to introduce schemes that have such wide scale impact on public good and welfare. Hope our intellectuals and our seniors would understand this dangerous phenomena and take appropriate steps to invalidate such drastic sudden steps powered by whims and fancies.

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Isn't it amazing that a mere 22 year old boy, Burhan Muzaffar Wani is touted by the media, as the most dreaded terrorist for the large Indian state..

Isn't it alarming how his killing has affected the masses to come out onto the streets of Kashmir to throw stones at the Indian State? 30 innocent Indian citizens are dead. Over 150 have suffered bullet injuries. Over 50 will lose their eye sight forever. 7/8 police personnel too have lost their lives.

I have read in the media that he was the poster boy of new-age militancy, that he was intelligent and belonged to a well-off family of teachers, that he was proficient in using social media and managed to attract local youth into the separatist program in Kashmir. http://a.msn.com/01/en-in/BBu6YmO?ocid=st

What is responsible for making this young guy a terrorist? The story goes like this: One evening, Burhan had gone for a motorcycle ride with his brother Khalid and a friend when they were beaten up by personnel from the Special Operations Group (SOG) of J&K police. That was supposedly the tipping point. Burhan was 15 and a student of class X, when he left home to become a militant (in the eyes of the state), a separatist (in the eyes of a common Kashmiri).

In April 2015, his brother Khalid who was doing his PG in Economics was killed by the Army in an alleged fake encounter that left no bullet marks on his body, but smashed teeth and a broken skull. His only crime was that of being born as the brother of a Separatist militant.

Would these killings stop the separatist tendencies in Kashmir, in Assam, in Nagaland, in Manipur? Can we please sit and understand why do we have such separatist tendencies?

Most importantly, can we not consider him a Muslim Jehadi? Is it not that, his being a Muslim is just incidental. Before him, many educated Hindu separatists and innocents have died in Assam, many educated Christian Separatists and innocents have died in Nagaland, many Buddhist and tribal Separatists and innocents have died in Manipur.

One police officer in South Kashmir said, "What Burhan started won’t end with his death, it may get a fresh life with his death’’.

The Indian State will have a tough time if we don't understand the basic spirit of liberty and identity that guides humanity.

About Me

I am a communication graduate. After 13 years of corporate experience in Deutsche Bank, ICICI Bank and Mudra Communications, I have started my own digital marketing and technology set up in Assam - Kuhipaat. We plan to be the best Internet Branding set up in India.